3D~Def Guide

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Prologue and caveats

This is an online guide to 3d~def, a three-dimensional boundary element program designed for applications in the earth sciences.

If you have any questions that cannot be answered by the guide, or if you find some mistakes here, or if you want to help make 3d~def more versatile, feel free to contact one or both of us via email:

• Joan Gomberg (USGS) - gombergusgs.gov
• Mike Ellis (CERI) - michael.alexander.ellisgmail.com

To obtain the latest version, go straight to "Get and run the code" to the left and down.

If you're new to 3d~def, the guide is relatively straightforward and intentionally redundant. It will get you started in the use of 3d~def, but bear in mind that we have by no means exhausted the ways in which it might be used, and we hope that you can find new and innovative things to do with it. We recommend going through the guide in the order listed. Please note that 3d~def is not a panacea. The earth does not conform to an elastic half-space for many interesting problems, and it is important to evaluate the necessary assumptions and approximations that you must make in applying 3d~def to a problem. On the other hand, the program (and almost any numerical model) is a powerful pedagogic tool, for everyone! So, let the fun begin.

Highlights and various miscellany are flagged like this:

describes a critical feature, which you should not skip.

an interesting or diverting point that could easily be skipped.

describes a pitfall or a complication; there are probably links to more details.

Last modified: 2019-12-24  02:29:41  America/Denver